to an Iranian friend

today I’m bombarded by headlines 

told tales of two countries 

about to blow 

two countries 

volatile and vengeful

two countries

yours and mine. 

and I can’t help but think of you

peaceful woman 

and how we are more alike than different 

more alike than our governments 

more alike than we’re led to believe.

my country has made bad choices 

and so has yours

but they weren’t my choices 

and they weren’t yours.

we grew up much the same

playing with toys on the living room floor

hearing names on the TV 

believing what we were taught.

and now that we’re older 

we can define “ideology” 

we sense transparencies 

in the wall between us. 

dear friend 

we must see each other 

we must not lose sight of our bond

while the higher-ups hate and hurt.

we must believe 

that there are more of us

than them

until we live in a world 

that refuses to kill

a friend.